ZEPH’yr: Noun; a gentle but persistent wind, sometimes with considerable force; often used as a name for trains that take unusual routes.

As much as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has tried to keep Democratic challenger Zephyr Teachout from the cool kids’ table in New York politics, she keeps coming at the most powerful politician in the state, demanding a seat.

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ZEPH’yr: Noun; a gentle but persistent wind, sometimes with considerable force; often used as a name for trains that take unusual routes.

As much as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has tried to keep Democratic challenger Zephyr Teachout from the cool kids’ table in New York politics, she keeps coming at the most powerful politician in the state, demanding a seat.

Last week she beat the court challenge by Cuomo that sought to knock her off the September primary ballot using perhaps the best election attorney in the state. Then she won the endorsement of the Public Employees Federation, a major union in New York. And she broke new ground in the often staid race for governor by doing an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit.

Meanwhile, Cuomo took a president-like trip to Israel to affirm New York’s support for the war-battled country and continued to avoid even talking about Teachout’s calls to debate her.